2010.12.29 TICKET
Seoul Arts Center’s New Year’s Eve Concert ends with a countdown to the new year and a fireworks show. The photo above is from last year’s event. The concert is just one of the many year-end celebrations going on in the city. See MUSIC, left. Provided by Seoul Arts Center
MUSIC
OPERA GALA CONCERT
Seoul Arts Center, Opera Theater
Today and tomorrow: The Korean National Opera presents encore performances from the previous season and previews of pieces from the company’s upcoming season.
From the previous season, there are arias from Mozart’s “Idomeneo,” Alban Berg’s “Lulu,” Gaetano Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoo,” Verdi’s “Macbeth” and Christoph Willibald Gluck’s “Orfeo ed Euridice.” The preview of the coming season includes arias from Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman” and Verdi’s “Simon Boccanegra.”
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 30,000 won ($26.25) to 50,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5
(02) 592-5728, www.sac.or.kr
SEOUL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall
Tomorrow: Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 will be performed by conductor Chung Myung-whun and mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill.
Chung made his debut in 1974 as the first Korean to take the award for piano in the Tchaikovsky Competition. Cargill is recognized around the world and is the winner of the 2002 Kathleen Ferrier Award.
The Seoul Philharmonic will be joined by several special guests, including the National Chorus of Korea, Nara Opera Choir and World Vision Korea Children’s Choir.
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 30,000 won to 100,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5
(02) 592-5728, www.sac.or.kr
COUNTDOWN FANTASY
AX-Korea
Thursday and Friday: This two-day event on two stages features a veritable who’s who from the indie music scene in Korea.
Thursday’s program features performances by No Reply, Dear Cloud, Mate, Monni, Peterpan Complex, Achtung, Go Go Boys, Daybreak, Ukulele Picnic, 10cm and more.
Friday’s program includes performances by Gukkaseuten, The Moonshiners, Vodka Rain, Serengeti, SuperKidd, Yellow Monsters, Jaurim, Huckleberry Finn, The Koxx, W&Whale, Romantic Punch, Gunamghwayeo Ridingstella, Oysterboys and more.
The Thursday concert is from 4:30 to 11:50 p.m. and Friday’s concert is from 5:30 to 11:50 p.m.
Tickets are 44,000 won for Thursday and 55,000 won for Friday, or 88,000 won for both days.
Gwangnaru Station, line No. 5, exit 2
1544-1555, www.ax-korea.com or http://ticket.interpark.com
ADIEU 2010! RAIN
Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium
Friday: Singer-actor Rain is one of the biggest stars in Korea with six albums and a long list of film and television credits to his name, and he will close out 2010 with two year-end concerts on Dec. 31.
Sports Complex Station, line No. 2, exit 6 or 7
The concerts start at 6 and 11:30 p.m.
Tickets range from 66,000 won to 165,000 won.
1544-1555, http://ticket.interpark.com
NEW YEAR’S EVE CONCERT
Sejong Center, Grand Theatre
Friday: Soprano Sumi Jo and “Phantom of the Opera” star Brad Little headline this concert to ring in the new year.
Sumi Jo will perform Beethoven’s “Ich Liebe Dich” and other classics. Little will sing songs from “Phantom,” including “The Music of Night” and “This is the Moment.”
The concert starts at 10:30 p.m.
Tickets range from 30,000 won to 100,000 won.
Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 1 or 8
(02) 399-1612, www.sejongpac.or.kr
NEW YEAR’S EVE CONCERT
Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall
Friday: This annual concert features music and dancing to celebrate the new year. In the first act, a violin orchestra will play Faure’s “Pie Jesu,” Brahm’s “Hungarian Dance No. 1” and pop songs such as “When I Fall in Love.” In the second act, ballet dancers Kim Hyun-woong and Kim Ju-won will perform dances from “Swan Lake” and “Giselle.”
The concert starts at 9:30 p.m.
Tickets range from 30,000 won to 70,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5
(02) 580-1300, www.sac.or.kr
RYUICHI SAKAMOTO
Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall
Jan. 9: Ryuichi Sakamoto returns for his first appearance in Korea since 2000. The concert features two pianos - Sakamoto will play one and the other will play recordings of Sakamoto’s songs.
The concert features songs from Sakamoto’s recent albums “Playing the Piano” and “Out of Noise,” both from 2009.
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 50,000 won to 160,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5
(02) 555-5743, www.sac.or.kr
ROCK LEGEND SHIN JOONG-HYUN
Daehangno Small Theater
To Jan. 15: The legendary 72-year-old guitarist known in Korea as the godfather of rock presents a month of concerts. He chose Daehangno Small Theater because it was where he performed in 1960 at the height of his career.
He will perform his hits “Lover in the Rain,” “One Cup of Coffee,” “My Love,” “Beauty” and more.
Last December, Shin became the first Asian musician to have a tribute guitar made for him by Fender Musical Instruments Corp.
He will play the tribute guitar, which was named the “Shin Joong-hyun Tribute Stratocaster,” at the concert.
The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. There are no performances on Mondays.
Tickets are 50,000 won.
Hyehwa Station, line No. 4, exit 1
(02) 764-4444
THEATER
TAKE CARE OF MOM
Theater Yong, National Museum of Korea
To Friday: This play, performed by an all-Korean cast, attempts to give new meaning to motherhood.
The play is based the novel of the same name by Shin Kyung-sook. Shin’s book has sold more than 1.2 million copies and topped the best-seller list for much of 2008 and 2009.
The novel is about a family searching for their mother and the heartaches of motherhood.
Performances are at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, at 2 p.m. on Wednesdays, and at 2 and 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. There are no performances on Mondays.
Tickets range from 40,000 to 60,000 won.
Ichon Station, line No. 4 and Jungang Line, exit 2
1544-1555, http://ticket.interpark.com.
THE NUTCRACKER
Universal Arts Center
To Friday: The Universal Ballet Company’s production of “The Nutcracker” uses the original 1892 choreography created by Lev Ivanov and designed for the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. In this version, the children’s roles are performed by real children.
In other versions the children are played by adults.
“Mother Ginger and Her Children,” a dance from Act 2, is the most fun for kids because 10 child dancers come out from under the gigantic skirt of Mother Ginger, according to a UBC press release.
There are two performances a day at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Tickets range from 10,000 won to 80,000 won.
Achasan Station, line No. 5, exit 4
(070) 7124-1740, visit www.ubcballet.co.kr
THE SNOWMAN
Hoam Art Hall
To Friday: The Korean language version of “The Snowman,” a musical based on the children’s book of the same name by English author Raymond Briggs, returns for an encore performance after its premiere here in March 2009. The musical is a classic tale about the adventures of a boy and his snowman. Created in 1986 in London, the musical has been a popular holiday favorite ever since.
Performances are at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Wednesdays, at 3 and 7:30 p.m. on Fridays, at 1 and 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Sundays.
Tickets range from 35,000 won to 55,000 won.
City Hall Station, line No. 1 or 2, exit 9
(02) 751-9607~10, www.hoamarthall.org
HERO
The National Theater of Korea, Main Hall Hae
To Jan. 15: Winner in six categories at the 4th Musical Awards and the 16th Korea Musical Awards, this original musical about colonial-era resistance fighter Ahn Jung-geun returns to the stage once again. This year’s production features new high-tech effects such as 3-D images and a real train that rises into the air.
The role of Ahn Jung-geun is played alternately by Jeong Seong-hwa, Yang Jun-mo and Sin Seong-rok.
Performances are at 8 p.m. from Tuesday to Fridays, at 3 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and at 2 and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.
The performance on Friday is at 3:30 p.m.
Tickets range from 40,000 won to 110,000 won.
Dongkuk University Station, line No. 3, exit 2
Take a shuttle in front of Taegeukdang.
(02) 2290-5900, www.ntok.go.kr
THE THREE MUSKETEERS
Chungmu Art Hall, Grand Theater
To Jan. 30: The legendary story of the three musketeers Athos, Porthos and Aramis returns to Korea, following sold-out houses the last time it was presented here.
Based on the 1884 novel by Alexandre Dumas, the play tells the story of d’Artagnan and his friends, the three musketeers.
Performances are at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; at 4 and 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; and at 3 and 7 p.m. on Sundays and holidays.
Tickets range from 30,000 won to 120,000 won.
Sindang Station, line No. 2, exit 1
Walk 150 meters (about 500 feet) toward Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station.
(02) 2230-6624, www.musicalthreemusketeers.com
JEKYLL AND HYDE
Charlotte Theater
To March 31: The first Korean-language performance of “Jekyll and Hyde” was in 2004, and this musical has been a favorite with Korean audiences ever since.
Jekyll and Hyde is set in London in 1885. Henry Jekyll is a doctor and scientist who lives with his sick father and decides to devote his life to finding a cure for his mental illness. He ultimately decides to experiment on himself, which is when he starts to form his frightening other half - Hyde.
Cho Seung-woo and other three actors star as Jekyll.
Performances are at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursday and Fridays, at 4 and 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, at 3 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays and at 2 and 6:30 p.m. on Sundays and holidays.
Tickets range from 50,000 won to 130,000 won.
Jamsil Station, line No. 2 or 8, exit 3, and go past the front entrance of the Lotte Hotel.
(02) 1588-5212, www.jekyllnhyde.co.kr
TRADITIONAL KOREAN PERFORMANCE
FULL-LENGTH PANSORI SINGING
The National Theater of Korea, Small Hall Dal
Friday: Singers who have been designated national treasures will perform in “Ahn Sook-sun’s Song of the Underwater Palace in the Tradition of Jeong Gwangsu,” which is part of this celebrated full-length Pansori Singing series.
The final cocnert of the year features Ahn Sook-sun, a leading pansori (narrative singing) artist.
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets are 20,000 won.
Dongkuk University Station, line No. 3, exit 2, and take a shuttle in front of Taegeukdang
(02) 2280-4775~6, www.ntok.go.kr
*Event information is culled from the Korea Tourism Organization and other online sources.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)